An Alternate Aqours
by ShinAyasaki
Summary: What would the anime be like if the first years were second years, the second years were third years, and the third years were first years? Well, it would be shorter and with a lot less angst. Probably. (Also, more blatant shipping because I'm into that.)
1. Season 1

**Episode 1 - Let's Be School Idols!**

You looked over the club application form, making certain that all the proper spaces were filled out correctly, as was her duty as student council president. "Well," she started, "The good news is that this is filled out correctly. The bad news is that I can't approve this."

"Eh?!" yelped Ruby, nervously holding her hands to her chest, "Why not?"

You offered a sad smile. "I'm sorry Ruby, but school rules clearly state that all clubs must have a minimum of five members." She returned the paper to the redhead. "And you've only got two."

Ruby frowned, disappointed at such a rocky start to what was supposed to be a shining school idol career.

"There, there," comforted Hanamaru, "It's just a small setback. Besides, this just means we get to go out and make three more friends, zura," she said, trying to put a positive spin on it. Ruby sent her a grateful look, but still looked a bit down. Though one of the reasons she wanted to be a school idol was to overcome her shyness, it was still a daunting prospect.

"Hanamaru's got the right idea," encouraged You. "And once you get three more people to sign up, I won't have to play the obstructive bureaucrat anymore!"

Ruby giggled, and let her regained confidence show. "Alright! I'll do my Rubesty!"

.

"I know! What about Those Three Girls in our class: Yoshimi, Itsuki, and Mutsu?" suggested Hanamaru.

"Who?" asked Ruby, genuinely confused.

"Hmm... you're right, zura. They wouldn't be very good school idols if no one even remembers who they are..."

* * *

 **Episode 2 - A Wild Yohane Appeared!**

Ruby and Hanamaru strolled along the beach side, mulling over their problem. Just then, a loud and sinister laugh caught their attention, drawing their gazes to a blue-haired woman in a black gothic lolita outfit standing at the very edge of the dock.

"Behold, denizens of the black sea, your demon queen Yohane has overcome the barriers erected by heaven to stand before you today! I claim this domain as my own, and all inhabitants within its darkest of depths shall become my little demons!"

"Wow," observed Ruby, "She's got a very compelling aura... I wonder who she is?"

"Yoshiko!" exclaimed Hanamaru, running at the demon queen, "You're back!"

"Hanamaru?!" cried Ruby, following after her.

"What?!" replied Yoshiko, surprised, "Who dares address the queen of darkness by the name bestowed upon her by the trappings of mortal flesh?"

"Yoshiko!" shouted Hanamaru as she hug-tackled the queen of darkness into the abyss of her newly-claimed ocean.

.

"I'm sorry I ruined your clothes, zura..." sniffed Hanamaru sadly. After Ruby fished her and Yoshiko out of the water, the two wet girls had been told to stay on the beach while Ruby went to grab towels and hot tea.

"It's fine, Hanamaru," sighed Yoshiko wistfully. "I have more at home." She chuckled and smiled at the brunette. "Honestly, I'm more surprised you recognized me. It's been how long again?"

Hanamaru giggled. "Well, you've always been rather memorable."

"Hanamaru! Yoshiko!" called Ruby as she ran up, arms full of goods. "Here," she said as she handed each of them a thermos. "I tried to make sure the tea was warm without being too hot. I hope you like it." She put a towel around each girl's shoulders as they drank.

"It's perfect, zura," replied Hanamaru.

"Indeed! Such generosity shall elevate you highly in the hierarchy of queen Yohane's demon court."

Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "What? I thought your name was Yoshiko?"

"It is," said Yoshiko, tossing the redhead a lopsided grin, "But sometimes it's just fun to be unique, you know?"

Ruby conceded the point.

"Speaking of which," continued Yoshiko, "What do you think? I've spent the last year cultivating and refining my Yohane persona."

"It's very impressive," answered Ruby, Hanamaru nodding emphatically behind her. "And actually, how would you feel about showing off your persona to others? Like, a lot of others?"

"Hmm?"

"How do you feel about being a school idol?"

* * *

 **Episode 3 - Third Year Drama**

The door to the student council room slammed open, You looking up completely nonchalant to stare into the eyes of her best friend. "Big news, big news!" declared Chika as she ran in, slamming her hands on You's desk. "So big it makes the world look like a mikan!"

"Chika, take some deep breaths and calm down," said You. "Now start over. What's going on?"

"You!" said Chika, fire burning behind her crimson eyes, "Riko's back!"

This time it was You's turn to slam the desk. "That's big news!" she exclaimed, eyes wide as her common sense was replaced with excitement.

"I know!" cried Chika as she grasped You's hands.

The pair jumped up and down excitedly before they had one of their best friend moments. Without a word, they decided, hand in hand, to go see Riko.

.

"Where did she go?!"

"I guess she gave us the slip again..."

A sad sigh. "Yeah..." The sound of footsteps faded.

Riko emerged from the broom closet, gently shutting the door behind her as she left school for the day. Chika and You were insistent on seeing her, but the redhead always managed to give them the slip whenever they went to confront her. She sighed. She couldn't face them, not now, not ever. How could she? It was all her fault.

Two years ago, she had transferred into Uranohoshi in preparation of her father's eventual relocation to the seaside hamlet. Two years ago, she had been a friendless loner, spending her time reading books and playing piano. Two years ago, she had been approached by Chika and You and they asked her to become a school idol. Two years ago, she said yes.

It was fun, for a while. The practices were long, the physical work was demanding, and the songwriting was surprisingly difficult, but with their friendship they managed to make it work. But then came the Live. The three girls had gone to Tokyo, amazed by the sights and sounds of 'real' school idol groups, before their performance in front of hundreds.

When it came time for them to sing... she couldn't do it. Couldn't sing, couldn't dance, couldn't even blink. She failed them.

How could she face them? She couldn't.

So she ran away. Her father's new office building wouldn't be completed for at least a year or two, so she transferred out of Uranohoshi and continued her schooling in Tokyo. Chika and You would be better off without someone like her anyway.

She buried her memories and feelings from those days, drowned them in homework and reading... but eventually she had to move to Uchiura permanently.

So here she was, still running away, still putting off the inevitable confrontation... What kind of a person did this to her best friends?

Riko arrived at her home, a lone tear running down her cheek. "I'm sorry..." she murmured.

* * *

 **Episode 4 - Two Girls' Feelings**

The sound of irritated tapping echoed throughout the diving store, drawing a sigh from Kanan as she looked over to the cause of the disturbance. She frowned. "Dia, you're more wound up than usual. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," replied Dia automatically, her eyes still staring at the book she had brought with her.

"Obviously something's wrong. You only fidget this much when you're really scared, like that time we went into that haunted house when we were little."

Dia's brows furrowed, but she still refused to look up. "It's a very scary book," she snapped.

Kanan scoffed. "Yes, it's so scary you've been afraid to turn the page for the past half-hour," she remarked.

This time, Dia did look up. Her cheeks puffed up in a pout. "I. Am. Fine," she declared.

"If you say so," said Kanan, rolling her eyes. Dia returned to her book.

3... 2... 1...

"My older sister is starting a school idol group," announced Dia, "And she asked me to join."

"Well that doesn't sound so bad. You love school idols! Why don't you join her?"

Dia clasped her hands nervously and brought them to her chin. "You know why," she replied.

And indeed, Kanan did know why. If Ruby was going to be a school idol, then in Dia's mind, her group would unquestioningly make it big. After all, big sisters were infallible like that. But when, not if, they made it big, they would have to go to Tokyo to perform for Love Live. And going to Tokyo was out of the question for Dia.

Kanan hid a small smirk. She remembered when she found her best friend, nearly catatonic as she tried to make sense of Tokyo's train system, clutching her favorite plush penguin and mumbling under her breath about how much of a twisted mess it all was. It was actually really funny, not that she could say that to Dia.

"Dia, you can't let one bad experience control your life. Sure there will be scary times, but there will be a lot more good times! That's the journey every school idol goes through."

Dia frowned. "Big sis won't be scared," she retorted.

Kanan raised an eyebrow and gave her a look as if to say, ' _Have you MET your sister?!'_ , but settled for a more measured approach instead. "Maybe, maybe not. But the thing is, she's not doing it alone. And if you join her, you won't be alone either."

"But I don't really know the others! I don't want to drag my sis down!"

"Then I'll join too!" declared Kanan, grabbing Dia in a big hug. "I'll join, and we can be school idols together, like we were always meant to be!"

Dia smiled. "Thanks," she said, returning the embrace. The two hugged in silence before Dia decided to add another thought. "But you were supposed to be with me when I got lost in Tokyo too."

"They were having a sale on chef's knives!" protested Kanan, "I had to look!"

The two shared a laugh, and they both knew everything was going to be okay. Then a noise from outside caught their attention.

Dia and Kanan looked out a window to see a bright pink helicopter about to land not far from them.

"Wow. I wonder who's in there?" pondered Dia.

"Probably someone with more money than sense."

* * *

 **Episode 5 - The Headmaster That Doesn't Do Anything**

"Well, well, well, what's all this then?" asked You with a chuckle as Ruby led her school idols into the student council room.

Ruby stepped forward bravely and handed her a form. "The five of us would like to form a school idol club!" she declared proudly.

You looked over the roster, her heart melting at seeing so many people come together to share the dream of being a school idol. "Oh? You got your little sister to join too?"

The younger Kurosawa sister nodded emphatically. "I'll Dia my best!" she said determinedly.

You giggled. "Alright then... Everything looks in order..." You nodded and smiled. "Okay! From this day forward, I hereby approve this club for school idols for Uranohoshi Girls' High!"

The five girls cheered in happiness and excitement. Though they were a little loud, You was fine with letting them continue so long as they got no noise complaints. Just then, the door opened and a blonde first year entered. The cheers quickly died down.

"Hello," greeted the newcomer, "My name is Mari, and I'm here as a transfer student and as Uranohoshi's new headmaster."

A collective silence fell over the group of six. Then...

"WHAT?!" chorused everyone.

"It's true," said Mari with a nod. "I have the paperwork right here, if the student council could please look at it now." She held out the papers to Yoshiko, who only raised an eyebrow in response.

"Ah, these five aren't part of the student council. I'll take those," said You.

As the student council president looked through the various forms, Mari turned to the other five. "If you're all not part of the student council, then what are you doing here?"

"We're Uranohoshi's newest school idols!" declared Ruby, Dia nodding enthusiastically behind her.

"Ooh! How shiny!" admired Mari.

"That's right," chimed in Hanamaru, "And we're going to win Love Live and make sure our school is remembered for generations to come!"

"And once our dominion is uncontested, we shall channel the soul energies of the people into even greater feats of dark wonderment, and claim the world for the demon queen Yohane's court of the fallen," added Yoshiko. As if anyone else would say such a thing...

"My big sis will lead us all to being the best school idols the world has ever seen!" cried Dia, stars shining in her eyes.

"And we can use the fame we get to help boost Uchiura's local economy," contributed Kanan, practical as always.

"Wow..."

"Okay!" declared You, "Everything checks out, so I suppose congratulations are in order." She turned to Ruby and co. "Girls, meet your new school headmaster, Mari Ohara."

The five politely clapped, as was socially expected.

"Thank you, thank you," said Mari. "Now, my first act is to transfer all my headmaster power to you, Miss Student Council President, until such a time comes when I wish to reclaim those powers."

"EHHHHH?!" chorused the group.

"But why?!" exclaimed You.

Mari shrugged. "Because I want to have a normal high school girl's life before I grow up and do adult things. And maybe I can be a school idol too?" she said, directing that last part at Ruby while fluttering her eyelashes hopefully.

"Of course! The more the merrier!"

" _SHINY_!"

"Wait a minute, isn't it too much for one person to be headmaster and student council president?!" protested You.

Mari frowned. "Hmm... I guess so..."

Just then, the door slammed open and a familiar ginger poked her head inside. "Hey! You! Ah...! What are all these people doing in here?!"

"They're all school idols," answered You succinctly.

"And who are you?" asked Mari, looking Chika over head to toe.

"This is Chika," supplied You, "She helps me out."

"So she's the vice president?" asked Mari.

Chika and You exchanged a look and a shrug. "...Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Excellent!" beamed Mari, "Then my first act as headmaster is to transfer all my headmaster power to you, Miss Student Council Vice President, until such a time comes when I wish to reclaim those powers. Enjoy!"

And with that, the six school idols left the student council room, leaving behind two very confused third years to try and sort through whatever had just landed in their laps.

* * *

 **Episode 6 - More Third Year Drama**

When Riko walked into her classroom the next morning, she didn't expect to see Chika and You waiting for her, especially since they were both in the class next door. Little did she know the two had used their combined student council president and headmaster powers to edit the class rosters a little.

"Riko!" exclaimed Chika as the classroom quieted dramatically just for the occasion. She hopped off a desk and made her way closer to the redhead, You trailing behind her. "Guess what? There's a new group of school idols at Uranohoshi, and they're still accepting applicants." She smiled. "Why don't the three of us join them?" she proposed, before holding out a very familiar mermaid costume.

Emotions shot through Riko's mind. Fear of having to perform onstage in front of hundreds. Anger at the reminder of her failure two years ago. Mild relief that Chika and You weren't immediately and instantly furious with her for everything she'd put them through. Incredulity that those were Chika's first words to her in two years.

But above all, Riko knew one thing: she did not want to go through that again. Wordlessly, she grabbed the costume out of Chika's hands, pointedly ignoring the embroidery of _Three Mermaids_ on the back, and threw it out the open window.

"Our uniform!" cried You, as she practically dove towards the window.

"NO!" shouted Chika and Riko in unison as they literally tackled her to the floor before she could do anything stupid.

They landed in one big girl pile, each of them surprised at what had just happened. You was the first to break the silence. "So you do still care about us," she said softly.

"Of course I care!" sniffed Riko, burrowing her face into You's neck. "There wasn't anyone before the two of you, and there wasn't anyone after the two of you either..."

Chika and You exchanged a smile. "I think we should find a quiet place to talk everything out, yeah?" said Chika, standing.

You nodded. "Let's do that." Without further adieu, she wrapped her arms around Riko and hefted her in a princess carry.

Riko squeaked as her face flushed bright red. "W-W-What are you doing?! I can walk!" Both her friends chose to ignore her.

"To the student council room!" declared You, practically kicking down the door as she ran. "Yousoro!"

"To our love nest!" agreed Chika as she followed. The ginger stopped at the threshold of the classroom and poked her head back in. "Oh, this an approved absence! The headmaster has given her permission!" Then she departed to catch up with the two she loved.

* * *

 **Episode 7 - Tiro Finale (Obligatory Flashback Episode)**

The Uranohoshi school idols cheered and hugged, basking in the glorious aftermath of their first Live as nine. Their song was heartfelt, their hearts were fluttering, and the audience was filled with dogs wearing glow sticks on their heads. It was absolutely thrilling.

And at performance's end, there was only one question on Chika's mind. "Hey, so how did you come up with the name for our group anyways?" she asked.

Ruby chuckled nervously, "Well, it's not exactly a meaningful story or anything, but..."

* Flashback *

"We are not calling ourselves _Descendants of Darkness_!" said Ruby in exasperation, crossing her arms stubbornly.

"Such a title is exquisitely elegant! A perfect fit for the demon queen and her most loyal and beloved of little demons!" argued Yoshiko, posing dramatically and demonically. She then dropped her persona as she added, "And it's still a lot better than _Breadwinners_!" She gestured to Hanamaru who, ironically, was midway through eating a loaf of bread.

Hanamaru glared as she practically sucked down the bread like a vacuum cleaner on steroids. "It's a very good name! Just think of all the sponsorship deals we'll get from bread shops nationwide, zura!"

Ruby huffed. "I still think _Shrinking Violets_ sounds much better than either of those!"

All three girls growled as they shot stubborn glares at each other, none of them wanting to give an inch. Then, just as suddenly, all three girls sighed loudly and sat back on the cushions on the floor of Ruby's room.

"Alright, look," said their redheaded leader, "We've been arguing about this for three hours straight... Why don't we just put all these names into a hat, then draw one at random? Whoever wins, wins. Is that okay?"

Hanamaru and Yoshiko exchanged a glance, but ultimately nodded in agreement. So Ruby found a nice hat, they each wrote down their proposed names, and into the hat they went. Ruby was about to draw when the doorbell rang.

"That's gotta be the pizza we ordered!" said Yoshiko excitedly as she jumped up.

"Good idea," agreed Ruby, "Let's eat first. We'll be in a better mood for later."

"Yay!" cheered Hanamaru, "Dinner, zura!"

"Eh?! Didn't you just eat half a dozen bread rolls?!" questioned Yoshiko in amazement as the three exited Ruby's room.

Several seconds later, a pair of bright green eyes framed by a curtain of obsidian hair popped into Ruby's room, having overheard everything. Sneakily, Dia slipped into her older sister's room and grabbed a piece of paper. Eyes wide and shining, she wrote ' _Aqours_ ' on it and stuck it in the hat, before skipping off gleefully.

After dinner was over, the second year trio returned, and Ruby plunged her hand into the hat.

"Eh? I think the paper's stuck..." she said.

"Do you need help, zura?"

"No... I... Got it!"

Ruby, Hanamaru, and Yoshiko gathered around the folded paper. Once Ruby unfolded it, they all read out the name they had chosen in unison. " _Dry Clean Only_?!"


	2. Sleepover Interlude

**The Innocent First years**

Dia was speechless.

She felt so much confusion and utter amazement that words simply couldn't form on the young girl's lips. Standing next to her, Kanan was in a similar state, the only difference being that unlike Dia, the blunette's jaw wasn't hanging open like she was trying to catch flies.

Across from them, standing on the threshold to the Kurosawa residence, was Mari. That in itself wasn't a shock. No, the shock factor came from her baggage for their sleepover, obviously the first she had ever attended. This baggage consisted of: two large duffel bags slung around her neck, a massive rolling suitcase pulled in one hand, an expensive-looking purse slung under a wrist, and a veritable mountain of over a dozen bags and cases piled behind her by the small army of servants she'd first arrived with. Every single one of her effects bore the Ohara family crest.

And naturally, they were all pink.

To top it all off, she was wearing a Pikachu pajama suit, and there was a pineapple plopped in her free hand.

"Thank you for inviting me into your home," greeted the blonde with a clueless smile. She extended the pineapple towards Dia. "Please accept this fruit as a small token of my gratitude."

Blinking twice, Kanan recovered first, not-so-subtly elbowing Dia in the ribs to snap her back to reality. "Of course!" sputtered Dia, wrapping her hands around the prickly pineapple with a grimace. "Please... come in."

Later...

"So what do you need all these bags for?" asked Kanan as she stacked the last bag on top of the pyramid they'd managed to erect.

"It's for the sleepover," replied Mari, as if those words explained everything. They didn't, but before anyone could question her, she reached out and grabbed a cup of tea from Dia, inhaling the steamy aroma before taking a large sip. "Mmm! The tea is delicious!" she complimented. "Truly you are a connoisseur of teas."

"...Thank you," accepted Dia. "But, would you mind explaining exactly what you brought for the sleepover?"

"Oh? Are you letting me take the lead on our sleepover then?" asked Mari excitedly, practically bouncing in place.

Kanan and Dia exchanged glances. "If that's okay with you," replied Kanan in bemusement.

Mari nodded happily, and her hands reached towards the pyramid. "I'll absolutely take the lead! I'm totally the best at sleepovers and I totally know all the coolest things to do!" Her hands plunged into the nearest suitcase.

"In here, we have... fancy dress up and roleplay!" exclaimed Mari, holding up a tuxedo in one hand and a wedding dress in the other.

"Just what are we roleplaying?!" cried Dia.

"Minigolf!" continued Mari, golf clubs in each hand.

"I don't think we have enough room..." trailed Kanan.

"Dungeons and Dragons!" declared Mari, hefting over two dozen splatbooks and supplements.

"How long do you think our sleepover is?!" exclaimed Dia.

"Foreign movies!"

"What's 'The Blair Witch Project'?" wondered Kanan.

"Tasting European pastries!" The blonde pulled out a smorgasbord of sugary treats.

"But our diet...!" protested Dia.

"Decorating the neighborhood!"

"How do you decorate with nothing but rolls of toilet paper?" asked Kanan in confusion.

"Starting a rave!" enthused Mari as she held a DJ's soundboard over her head.

"Please stop this at once!" shouted Dia, holding her fists to her chin as she stared at the surprised blonde. "Th-Thank you for thinking of us, b-but... I-I don't want to do any of those things!" Mari flinched, looking like she'd just been slapped. "I just want to spend some quiet time with you and Kanan!"

The blonde looked down, slowly letting the tarpaulin hot air balloon slide from her fingers to the wooden floor. "...oh," she said. She slowly turned to look at the mess of stuff she'd pulled out and left on Dia's floor, blinking at it wistfully in hopes that it would disappear. When she turned back, she said, "I guess I'll put all this away then."

Dia and Kanan exchanged glances as the blonde grabbed the golf clubs and tried sorting them into a piece of luggage, struggling all the while. Wordlessly, the duo walked over to help, the three of them managing to pack the golf clubs away. They continued on like this, Dia and Kanan helping Mari with cleanup, the blonde's face as blank and blue as a cloudless sky until the last piece was stowed away.

The blonde sniffed to herself in melancholy. "I'm sorry," she muttered.

Kanan patted Mari's back. "It's okay," she comforted. "Everyone gets a little too excited sometimes." Dia nodded in agreement.

"I know," managed Mari. "It's just... I don't know how to have friends," she admitted, "I don't know how to make friends either. I just want you both to like me..." The next thing she knew, she was being enveloped in a hug.

"It's okay, Mari," murmured Dia softly, "We do like you, and we want to be your friend too."

"Yeah," added Kanan as she hugged Mari from behind. "You don't have to use fancy clothes or exotic foreign things to impress us. Just be yourself!"

The blonde smiled happily as she returned Dia's embrace. "Thank you," she said softly. And somehow, she knew in her heart that this was the start of a wonderful friendship.

"...So did you actually want to do any of those things you brought over?" asked Kanan once they'd all let go of each other.

"I wouldn't mind trying out a couple of them," admitted Mari.

The two turned to Dia, silently asking for permission. The ravenette fidgeted, but didn't refuse. "I suppose we could try some of the tamer activities," she acquiesced.

"Shiny~!" cheered Mari as she broke out the minigolf once more. She grabbed a club and prepared to strike a ball.

Dia's emerald eyes widened in alarm. "Wait a minute-!"

"FORE!"

The ball went sailing across the room before smashing a hole through the glass window and landing somewhere outside in the koi pond. Kanan and Mari looked at the broken window in shocked silence while Dia only sighed.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

 **The Mature Third Years**

Riko sighed for the umpteenth time as she waited, shaking her head impatiently before refocusing her eyes on the school idol website she had open on her phone. Another minute passed before she realized she was just mindlessly scrolling, so Riko put her phone away and stood, pacing around the ground floor of the Watanabe house.

Earlier in the week, You had invited both her and Chika over for a sleepover, and of course Riko had said yes. When she arrived, everything had gone smoothly, the way a sleepover should have. Chika and You invited her in, they had dinner, played around a little, and had fun. They could even be as loud as they wanted, as You's mother had some overnight business to attend to. As it got later though, Chika and You had slipped upstairs, telling her to wait.

So here she was, left to her own devices, the only clue to what awaited her being a pair of identically cryptic smiles.

At this point in time, she'd already run the emotional gamut from dreaded anticipation to resigned acceptance of whatever it was her friends had planned for her. Interestingly enough, she was reminded of their very first meeting, when Chika and You had practically dragged her into becoming a school idol.

Soft footfalls came from the stairs to the second floor, and Riko turned to see Chika coming back down with a smile. The redhead raised a questioning eyebrow at the brunette's absence. "Where's You?"

"You's just doing some last minute cleaning in her room. But since we're pretty much done, I thought I'd come get you," said Chika easily. "Come on up."

Riko gave her a suspicious stare, but readily complied. "What have the two of you been preparing anyway?"

The ginger replied with a giggle. "Let's find out," she said mysteriously.

Stopping at the door to You's room, Riko turned the handle and pushed.

The redhead's jaw dropped as she stepped into the room, overwhelmed with what she found. Instead of the simple and reserved decorative style she'd remembered from prior visits to You's house, she was confronted with something far more intimate.

Dozens of scented candles were scattered around the room, emanating a soft and inviting warmth, with even the shadows they cast offering comfort. Rose petals covered the floor liberally, the aromas of lavender and jasmine filling the air with a gentle sweetness that could only be described as romantic.

You lay draped across the bed in nothing but a one piece teddy, her blue eyes gazing up lovingly at Riko while a finger toyed coyly with a lock of brunette hair. The redhead's eyes however, were more drawn to You's long and slender legs, bare as they could be. Chika slipped into the room behind her, quietly closing the door. Riko heard the soft rustle of fabric as Chika discarded her shirt and shorts, the ginger reaching over to the nearby dresser to tap on her phone.

Riko's golden eyes widened when those glorious legs they focused so intently on began to move, You gracefully standing before she sauntered her way over.

Then a set of speakers started to put out erotic jazz music.

Her face flushed scarlet when You closed in, and a hand reached up to teasingly play with the collar of her shirt just as a pair of arms wrapped around her stomach and a head settled on her shoulder, a pair of breasts pressing against her back as Chika hugged from behind.

"Riko," they chorused sensually in unison, "Won't you accept our feelings?"

And Riko fainted.

Later...

"We're sorry Riko!" chorused Chika and You, hands pressed together in supplication as they knelt before their girlfriend.

"Please don't be upset!" added Chika.

After Riko fainted, Chika had brought her to rest on You's bed as they cleaned up their romantic atmosphere. The candles were put out, replaced with the brighter but harsher glow of lamp light, and the rose petals were swept into a large pile at the corner of You's bed. There was no more sexy jazz playing either.

The redhead sighed. "I'm not upset, I'm just... a little overwhelmed. But why go through all this?"

"We just thought it was a good time for us to consummate our love," explained You, still looking down. Unlike earlier, she now wore a blue bathrobe to cover herself, Chika wearing a similar one in orange. "I guess we really overdid it, huh?"

"What did we do wrong?" Chika asked despairingly.

Riko blushed. She didn't really want to think about making her charming girlfriends any more alluring, but since they asked... "It would definitely help if you started with more clothing on," she said with a small look towards You, "And I guess... try classical music instead?"

"Really? Darn! I was so sure that music would work too!" declared Chika with a pout.

"I suppose it's a nice instrumental piece, but why?"

"It's the number one track from this album," answered the ginger, handing the redhead a CD case.

Riko looked over the package and read it aloud. "'The Soundtrack of Sex; Guaranteed to get you laid or your money back.'" She looked at the picture on the front, blankly staring at an upright saxophone with a bra hanging from the mouthpiece, unable to say anything as she processed that.

"I guess you can at least get a refund," remarked You. Chika hummed in the affirmative as she nodded.

Softly exhaling, Riko handed the CD case back to Chika before speaking again. "I'm flattered, really, but... I just don't think I'm ready for that yet."

"It's okay. If you're not ready, you're not ready," said You understandingly, Chika nodding in agreement beside her. "Besides, this was still a good learning experience for us all the same."

"I think you two did fine," supported Riko.

The brunette shrugged. "Maybe, but that could just be beginner's luck."

"Yeah," chimed in Chika, "This is the first time either of us have tried seducing anyone after all."

That was certainly unexpected news to Riko. She blinked, her mind pondering the implications of that statement. "What? So... does that mean the two of you haven't...?" She pointed to each of them, face growing slightly more pink as her mind couldn't help but conjure an image of Chika and You being intimate together.

Chika shook her head vigorously. "Nope! We both wanted to wait for you."

"Guess that explains our over-eagerness..." chuckled You with a grin.

"So then... you put your relationship on hold? For me?!" asked Riko incredulously. (" _Our_ relationship," corrected Chika and You.) "Why?! I just left! I didn't even know if I'd ever come back!"

"We knew your dad was going to move here for work eventually, so we figured we'd just wait," explained Chika.

"What if my family didn't have to move here until after high school was over?"

"Well, if you didn't come back by the last month of school, then we would've gone after you," answered You as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"But how would you know where to find me? I don't think I've ever told you my Tokyo address, or even where I went to middle school."

"Easy. We would have broken into Uranohoshi's student records to check where you transferred to," said Chika with a sunny smile.

"What?!" Riko couldn't believe her ears. These two idiots were willing to commit a misdemeanor just to see her again?!

A pleasant laugh played from You's lips. "Did you think I became student council president just because I wanted to?"

"But... I don't think that would have helped," remarked the redhead, "I mean... I didn't have to tell Uranohoshi where I was transferring to."

"Eh?! So I became student council president for nothing?!"

"I wouldn't say nothing. It did let us transfer into Riko's class," said Chika, finding the bright side. She giggled. "And we do get to use the student council room as our love nest whenever we want..."

You grinned. "I guess that really is a nice perk."

The redhead sighed. "Oh, you two... Come here," she said, wrapping both of them in a hug. "I love you both so much."

"We love you too," chorused Chika and You.

The three of them stayed like that for a while longer, before eventually deciding to move their sleepover back downstairs.

"You know, it's actually really weird how supportive my mom was of all this," remarked You as the three of them sipped hot chocolate around You's floor table.

"Oh really?"

You nodded. "Yep."

 ***Flashback***

 _"Oh my darling little girl is going to blossom into a beautiful young woman!" gushed Mrs. Watanabe as she ran around the house, cleaning every speck of dust she could find._

 _"Mom!" exclaimed You in exasperation, "There's no guarantee of anything happening tonight! If Riko says no, then that's it!"_

 _"But how could she say no to my precious little seashell?" cooed the older woman as she started scrubbing the bathroom tiles with a soapy sponge._

 _"Mom, this isn't something to get so worked up over. Why are you treating this like it's something to be celebrated?"_

 _"Because this is absolutely something to be celebrated!" answered Mrs. Watanabe as if it were the most obvious thing in the entire world. The older woman halted her scrubbing and looked off into the distance wistfully as she sighed. "Oh I wish your father was here for this!"_

 _"Mom, no!" wailed You as she buried her face in her hands, mortified at the thought. Her face burned bright red, and she moaned softly to herself. "Chika, Riko," she muttered to herself, "If I die of embarrassment before either of you get here, please know that I love you..."_

 ***End Flashback***

"That's pretty bad," agreed Riko, sipping her mug.

"I know right?"

Chika clicked her tongue and shook her head in disagreement. "I had it worse."

 ***Flashback***

 _"I'm leaving!" called Chika as she pulled on her shoes._

 _"Chika, hold on a minute," said Chika's mother as she strolled up to her youngest, clad in her usual sandals and yukata. "I'd like to have a special talk with you before you leave."_

 _The ginger blinked. "Um, mom... I've already had that talk with Shima and Mito, and the internet kinda filled in the rest of the details."_

 _"I'm sure you have, but your mother has some very important things to say to you, and I expect you to listen."_

 _"But You's expecting me!"_

 _"Now, now," said her mother dismissively. "The two of you have waited years for this. Surely you can both wait another five minutes."_

 _Chika could only sigh in defeat. She looked at her mother, gesturing her to continue._

 _"That's my girl. Now then..." Her mother cleared her throat. "It's clear to everyone that the three of you are very much in love, and that what you have planned tonight is something that all couples, or rather all those in relationships, go through at some point in their lives."_

 _"Tonight might not be the night," muttered Chika under her breath._

 _"That said however, it is also very important that you remember to practice safe sex. Make sure everyone's teeth are brushed, trim all fingernails and toenails, always sterilize your toys before and after using them..."_

 _"Oh my god...!" moaned Chika through her dual facepalm of mortification._

 _"And of course," said Chika's mother, taking her daughter's hand, "Use these." She then dropped several packets of condoms into Chika's hand. "Have fun!" she said cheerfully, turning around to leave._

 _"MOM!"_

 _"What?" she replied, looking over her shoulder. "It's not as if either of your sisters are using them!"_

 ***End Flashback***

Wordlessly, You and Riko pulled Chika in for a hug, sandwiching her between them in an attempt to purge the bad memories.

* * *

 **The Flailing Second Years**

Inhale... Exhale... Inhale... Exhale...

...Yeah, this wasn't doing it for her.

Sighing softly on the floor of the dark, moonlit apartment, Ruby opened her eyes and blinked, trying to coax herself to sleep with the vain hope that continuous eye movement would exhaust her. After the fiftieth or so blink, she gave up and just started tossing and turning in her futon. She wasn't the quietest at fidgeting, and the noise would have been quite rude to the room's other occupants had they not either been deep in slumber or just as awake as the redhead.

It was understandable that Ruby couldn't sleep, especially as alone as she felt at the moment. Family vacations had always seen Ruby fall asleep while cuddling her little sister in her arms, and sleepovers always used to be between her and Hanamaru, so they would always lie next to each other. But here in the cramped confines of Yoshiko's 10th floor apartment, floor space was at a premium. In fact, Yoshiko was currently suspended above Ruby, bundled up in a giant plush shark hammock while Hanamaru lay sound asleep in the bed, the brunette's light snores filling the room.

Although Ruby knew better, a small part of her couldn't help but feel that Hanamaru was mocking her for her inability to fall asleep.

But that was probably just jealousy. Hanamaru had fallen asleep in Yoshiko's bed in mere seconds. Ruby didn't feel anywhere near comfortable enough to do that...

Above her, Yoshiko was stewing in her own thoughts. This was the first time she'd had anyone over to her home in, well, ever. She wanted to make sure her two friends had a good time, and would be amenable to coming back someday. Even though it was a relatively new experience for her, the blunette found she liked having company. And really, let it never be said that a fallen angel wasn't a good hostess.

Yoshiko thought back over the past several hours, fondly remembering the smiles and laughs they had all shared. She remembered Hanamaru's various exclamations over simple modern appliances and applications. She remembered Ruby's delighted awe as she sifted through the various gothic lolita outfits Yoshiko's closet. She remembered her own happiness as she spent time with these two precious girls that had walked into her life and roped her into their posse.

She was grateful, she realized. Grateful for their friendship, and companionship, and acceptance. And she wanted to tell them.

A heavier-than-usual snore came from the bed, and the blunette knew telling Hanamaru now would be a waste, though she was certain the brunette already knew. But given all the fidgeting she heard coming from below, perhaps now was a good time to tell Ruby.

"...Ruby?" inquired Yoshiko hesitantly, her normally loud voice sounding both small yet massive amidst the quiet ambiance of the night.

There was silence for several seconds, and Yoshiko started to give up before another hesitant voice piped up, "Yes?"

"...The thought occurs to me that I never thanked you," stated the blunette as loudly as she dared with a slumbering Hanamaru in the room.

"Eh? For what?"

"For being my friend."

"You don't need to thank me for being your friend, Yoshiko. Friendship isn't something you give in return for something. It's a mutual thing. I'm your friend because I like you," said Ruby maturely. Her voice shrunk as she continued, "And I'd like to think you're my friend because you like me too."

"Of course I like you," affirmed Yoshiko. "But I still wanted to at least say thanks. I mean, I'm pretty weird," she said, wearing a lopsided grin that Ruby knew was there but couldn't see.

"I don't think you're... that weird," defended Ruby.

"The first time you saw me, I was dressed in gothic lolita clothes and shouting at the ocean," the blunette replied deadpan. "That's pretty weird."

Ruby didn't have a comeback for that one.

"But that's okay. I acknowledge my weirdness. Hell, I embrace it and flaunt it every chance I get," she chuckled. Then her tone turned somber. "As you might imagine, my weirdness hasn't exactly endeared myself to many people. I never really learned how to make friends. Zuramaru and I bonded when we were in kindergarten, and even though we haven't seen each other in years, we never really stopped being friends somehow. And that's special. But you're the first friend I've made since, and that's also really special."

Yoshiko paused to think. "I guess what I'm getting at is that you're both really important to me, and I just wanted to say it aloud. I know Zuramaru knows in her own way, and I guess I just wanted to make sure you know that too."

Silence reigned for quite some time, before it was softly broken by the sound of Ruby's sniffles.

"Eh?! Ruby? Are you okay?"

"Yes, Yoshiko, I'm fine. I just... sometimes I think I'm just being a third wheel for the two of you, you know? That I can't compete with what the two of you share... I'm really happy to hear that's not true."

"Ruby..." breathed Yoshiko softly. Squirming around in her sleeping bag, she managed to extricate one of her arms with a grunt, and reached down from her shark hammock to the redhead below her. "Hey," she said, "Let's make a pact: no one gets left behind, yeah?"

Ruby smiled and reached up to grab the proffered hand. "Yeah!" The two clasped hands and shook, sealing the bonds between them.

SNAP!

Then suddenly, the world turned upside-down for Yoshiko as the supports of the shark hammock broke entirely, twisting her around to face the floor before sending the terrified blunette screaming down to the terrified redhead shrieking below her. Her unfortunate landing was marked with a jolt and a breathless grunt of pain from Ruby.

As the proverbial dust settled, Yoshiko slowly opened her eyes, having shut them midway through her fall. Her trembling, twin violet orbs met with a stunned set of emerald irises, and the two stared at each other in shocked silence, neither noticing the cessation of snoring.

"...Are you okay?" breathed Yoshiko.

Ruby gulped and nodded slowly. "Yes," she replied, "You're not that heavy, so..."

"Good," remarked Yoshiko, "That's good."

They blinked at each other again. "You know," murmured Ruby, "If you had landed a little closer, we might have..." Her gaze fell on Yoshiko's lips, and the blunette's eyes likewise fell on Ruby's mouth, each feeling a pull between them.

They closed their eyes, and slowly started to bring their faces together, each awaiting the sensation of the other's lips upon their own. Somehow, they knew this was right, that this was meant to be, that only happiness could result from their tender coupling.

Then Hanamaru jumped on top of them.

"YOSHIKO!" shouted the brunette, "A SHARK IS TRYING TO EAT RUBY! GET HELP!"

"AHH! ZURAMARU!" exclaimed Yoshiko.

"WAH! MARU, STOP!" shrieked Ruby as the two girls above her started bucking wildly.

"Get your soft and fluffy fins off my friend!" shouted Hanamaru as she held on to the sleeping bag's dorsal fin. Her other arm was raised and poised to take action against this perceived threat, and she curled her free hand up into a fist before pounding on the shark's nose.

Of course, the sleeping bag didn't have any weak or sensitive spots for Hanamaru to abuse, so she ended up whacking the next best thing.

"Zuramaru! Stop punching my head!"

* * *

 **AN: A second chapter for a Love Live story?! I think I'm doing something right! :D**

 **But hey, season 2 is coming out in about a week, so maybe I'll get more inspiration? Here's hoping!  
**


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